Tony.

I have the Xbox and Steam versions, and "O Mio Babbino Caro" is definitely not there. Shame, it's a beautiful song. It was probably removed from later versions due to a licensing issue. Even 10 years later, Rockstar delayed the PSN release of III due to problems getting clearance for a song, and it wouldn't surprise me if it was the same track.

Arsen Vitiuk

I have the Xbox and Steam versions, and "O Mio Babbino Caro" is definitely not there. Shame, it's a beautiful song. It was probably removed from later versions due to a licensing issue. Even 10 years later, Rockstar delayed the PSN release of III due to problems getting clearance for a song, and it wouldn't surprise me if it was the same track.

Hm! Who would possibly create a licensing issue for that song, I wonder?

Thanks for the information. A shame really - this song, as I view it, is the 'heart' of GTA III.

Tony.

I know, it is strange how that song alone creates issues. At first I thought it was maybe something to do with people in the record company that own it not liking it associated with such a game, but it's probably it's just a hassle to get the rights to begin with and Rockstar didn't jump through all the hoops required for proper clearance. They probably forgot about it, seeing as the original final build from 2001 was the one first submitted to the PSN store, with that song included.

I wish I could find out if it was still in the PSN version or not. It wouldn't surprise me if they removed it yet again. Apparently, "Running with the Night" by Lionel Richie caused similar issues for Vice City, and now the first PS2 version is the only one to contain that track. And last year, they actually took the game off of Steam due to more licensing issues and removed almost a dozen other songs (including both Michael Jackson tracks and the Ozzy Osbourne song). And from what I know, none of those songs were on the PSN version.

DarrinPA

And last year, they actually took the game off of Steam due to more licensing issues and removed almost a dozen other songs (including both Michael Jackson tracks and the Ozzy Osbourne song). And from what I know, none of those songs were on the PSN version.

Tony.

And last year, they actually took the game off of Steam due to more licensing issues and removed almost a dozen other songs (including both Michael Jackson tracks and the Ozzy Osbourne song). And from what I know, none of those songs were on the PSN version.

That sucks if that's true. Listening to MJ in GTA was awesome.

It is, sadly. I have the Steam and iOS versions, and neither MJ songs are to be heard. Some songs from Wildstyle and Espantoso are gone, too, plus an Emotion song. Here's a list of tracks removed.

Arsen Vitiuk

Thanks for the information you've been able to provide! I appreciate that.

One word about VC: No matter how I tried, I could not understand: how would Michael Jackson's songs be the subject of copyright issues? Jackson's dead, as far as I know... So the question is: who is the rightholder of MJ's songs now?

Andreaz1

Thanks for the information you've been able to provide! I appreciate that.

One word about VC: No matter how I tried, I could not understand: how would Michael Jackson's songs be the subject of copyright issues? Jackson's dead, as far as I know... So the question is: who is the rightholder of MJ's songs now?

The record label he was with. Right after he died, I think it was Sony who paid something like $200 million for the rights to his songs for x number of years and to release x amount of more albums.

I'm not sure how the business works, but I don't think any of the big artist actually own their songs themselves. Those rights are always with the record label who publishes them.

Kristian.

Copyright expires between 70 and 90 years after the owner's death, and the work enters the public domain and is free to manipulate and use by anyone. In the case of record labels, I don't think copyright ever expires unless the label is closed down, the owners die and the remaining years pass. I think labels can renew copyright indefinitely.

Tony.

Basically what they said. It's all up to the record label for licensing rights to people who want to use their music in media (unless the music is public domain, and in Michael Jackson's case, his songs will enter public domain in 2079 unless the label renews it). Rockstar doesn't go to the artist directly and pay them cash, it's through the company that owns the song.